Man I can rabbit on when I want to.
Oct. 17th, 2002 12:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gemfyreAll physiological processes require a certain amount of warmth to operate. At a certain temperature a process reaches it's optimum and works fastest. At the extremes of temperatures processes are rendered inactive. These physiological processes must however take place if an organism is to survive. Animals can be found all over the world to surviving temperatures of below 0ºC up to 45ºC. To maintain the speed of their internal processes animals must thermoregulate, that is, control their inner body temperature so chemical reactions can continue to occur and the animal does not die.
Animals employ two main methods of thermoregulation. Endotherms use high amounts of energy to internally control their body temperature, most of these animals retain a fairly constant body temperature, the temperature that is the optimum for their physiological processes, these are the birds and the mammals. Ectotherms cannot control their temperature internally and so use behavioural and physical mechanisms to maintain their body temperature, among these are fish, amphibians and reptiles. Reptiles sun themselves to increase their body temperature so they can move fast enough to carry out activities such as hunting and feeding. They are also often dark coloured to absorb more heat energy. It is often thought that the terms endotherm and ectotherm are the same as homeotherm and poikilotherm respectively. Homeotherms are animals that maintain their body temperature at a certain level, whilst poikilotherms have an inner body temperature that fluctuates, usually due to external conditions. There are however some reptiles which manage to maintain an almost homeothermic state, maintaining a high body temperature for long periods by using behavioural mechanisms and physical adaptations. Mammals that are young, small or that hibernate can be poikilotherms. Very young mammals that are not well developed are unable to control their body temperature effectively and mammals that hibernate or go into torpor deliberately lower their body temperature so their mechanisms slow down, allowing them to survive harsh winters.
So there!
[Edit] - Bah, stupid LJ not being able to handle special characters. Those questions marks are meant to be degree symbols.
Animals employ two main methods of thermoregulation. Endotherms use high amounts of energy to internally control their body temperature, most of these animals retain a fairly constant body temperature, the temperature that is the optimum for their physiological processes, these are the birds and the mammals. Ectotherms cannot control their temperature internally and so use behavioural and physical mechanisms to maintain their body temperature, among these are fish, amphibians and reptiles. Reptiles sun themselves to increase their body temperature so they can move fast enough to carry out activities such as hunting and feeding. They are also often dark coloured to absorb more heat energy. It is often thought that the terms endotherm and ectotherm are the same as homeotherm and poikilotherm respectively. Homeotherms are animals that maintain their body temperature at a certain level, whilst poikilotherms have an inner body temperature that fluctuates, usually due to external conditions. There are however some reptiles which manage to maintain an almost homeothermic state, maintaining a high body temperature for long periods by using behavioural mechanisms and physical adaptations. Mammals that are young, small or that hibernate can be poikilotherms. Very young mammals that are not well developed are unable to control their body temperature effectively and mammals that hibernate or go into torpor deliberately lower their body temperature so their mechanisms slow down, allowing them to survive harsh winters.
So there!
[Edit] - Bah, stupid LJ not being able to handle special characters. Those questions marks are meant to be degree symbols.
